Long Time No See
by Katariina Sofia
Summary: Jessica has been a professional dancer for close to nine years, what happens when she runs into an old friend and old flame?
1. Chapter 1

** I do NOT own Shane Helms, or any other famous wrestlers mentioned in this FF. I only own any Original Characters mentioned. Read and Review. Enjoy! **

Jessica sat on the couch in the large living room of the 6,500 square foot house. She was on the leather couch facing the TV. Amber was sitting on the other end of it on her laptop and Teresa was in the large armchair that was in there. Jessica picked up the remote and started flipping through the channels.

"Wait, what was that?" asked Teresa.

Jessica went back a few channels and watched the commercial. It was a commercial for a few wrestlers that would be passing through the small town.

"Wonder what's going on?" said Teresa. "Hey Amber, you wanna look that up for me since you've got your laptop out?"

"I guess I can since you are too lazy to get up and get yours," said Amber.

"So?" asked Teresa.

"A few independent guys and some from TNA and WWE are passing through and staying the night and doing a signing down at the college," said Amber scrolling down the page.

"When?" asked Teresa.

"They come in Wednesday afternoon and they will tour the school then come back Thursday for the signing," said Amber.

"Sweet!" said Teresa.

Jessica started giggling.

"What is so funny?" asked Teresa.

"You freaking out over wrestlers," said Jessica still flipping through channels.

"You used to be a fan," said Teresa

"'Used to' being the key phrase," said Jessica.

"What happened?" asked Amber closing her laptop.

"Nothing. It just wasn't interesting anymore. I didn't want to watch anymore," said Jessica.

Jessica got up from the couch, tossing the remote to Teresa, and walked out of the living room and headed for the stairs to go up to her room. Amber looked at Teresa, Teresa just shrugged her shoulders.

"Who knows," said Amber.

Jessica walked into her large room. She walked over to her closet and fished around the top for a box. Once she found it she pulled it down and sat cross-legged on her bed. She pulled the lid off the box and pulled out the pictures.

As she filed through the pictures she smiled at a few of them and frowned at others. She had well over two hundred pictures that she looked through over the next hour. She was still a fan of certain wrestlers, just not wrestling in general anymore.


	2. Chapter 2

"So where are we going?" asked Shannon Moore.

"Clarksville," said Matt.

"What is in Clarksville?" asked Shannon.

"Something to do," chuckled Jeff.

"Or someone," smiled Matt.

Shane wasn't paying attention to the conversation anymore. Once they got into Nashville he had gone quiet. The guys tried to get him to talk about it, but gave up after a while. Matt drove down the exit for Clarksville. Shane watched the scenery go by without taking it in.

"Where to from here?" asked Matt.

"Your TomTom not working?" asked Jeff.

"No," said Matt.

Jeff chuckled and pulled out the directions Julie, Shannon's wife, had printed out for them.

"We just got off at exit 11, so that would mean this is MLK Jr. Pkwy. Go straight through this red light and the next one and drive until we get to 41A Bypass, Riverside Dr, Cumberland Dr, and HWY 48/13," said Jeff.

Matt nodded and followed the directions. He went through the red light at the connector and Madison St, and through the next one. Once he got to the red light where the four streets meet, Jeff pulled the directions out again.

"Go straight through the red light, onto Riverside Dr. Go until it meet's College Street," said Jeff. "Jules said that there was a pedestrian bridge at the intersection."

"Okay," said Matt as the light turned green.

They got to College and Riverside and went up College and went to where they were supposed to park. They all piled out of the car and stretched their legs.

"Hello, and welcome to APSU," said a brunette walking up. "I am Krystal."

"Matt Hardy. This is my brother Jeff," said Matt. "Shane Helms and Shannon Moore."

"Nice to meet you. If you will follow me, I will get your passes," said Krystal walking towards one of the massive buildings.

They spent the next three hours touring the school and occasionally stopping to take pictures. At the end of the tour they had free reign to go look at what they wanted and do what they wanted, as long as they stayed within the University rules.

Jessica walked out of the art building and started walking across the parking lot towards the University Center.

"Hey! Jessica!" shouted a man walking up to her.

"Hey Charlie," said Jessica.

"Where you headed?" asked Charlie.

"I've got to go turn something in and then I have errands to run," said Jessica.

"Oh. Too bad, I was going to see if you wanted to go get something to eat," said Charlie.

"Maybe another time," said Jessica as she climbed the stairs.

Charlie nodded and walked off in another direction. Jessica sighed as she reached the top of the stairs and started for the front doors of the history building. Just as she looked down at her phone she ran into someone. The force was great enough to knock her to the ground.

"Damn, I'm sorry," he said with a southern drawl.

"It's okay," said Jessica as she stood up.

He was still on the ground picking up the things she had dropped. He stood up and handed them to her with an embarrassed smile on his face.

"I really am sorry," he said.

"And it is really okay," smiled Jessica.

"I'm J-" he started.

"Jeff Hardy," said Jessica smiling, "I know."

"Really?" asked Jeff.

Jessica smiled and moved the hair off the back of her neck and turned to show Jeff her 'Hardy Boyz' tattoo. Jeff smiled at her as she turned back around.

"How long you been a fan?" asked Jeff as Jessica started walking again.

"Since about '99," said Jessica. "Been a fan a long time, tattoo is fairly recent. Got it in the last six years."

"Cool," smiled Jeff.

"Look, I've got things I have to do, but," said Jessica.

Jessica sat her books down on the bench next to her. She pulled out a pen and wrote something on Jeff's hand before she gathered her things and walked into the building. As the door closed Jeff looked down at his hand as saw her number was written there. Jeff smiled as he pulled out his phone and put the number in it.

Just as Jeff put his phone back in his pocket his brother, Shannon and Shane walked up. Jeff still had a goofy smile on his face as he turned to face them.

"What?" he asked.

"What you smiling for?" asked Shannon.

"Nothing," said Jeff.

"Bullshit!" said all three men.

"Come on, what is it?" asked Matt as they started walking down the stairs.

"Just ran into some, is all," said Jeff.

"Someone you know?" asked Shannon.

"Nope," said Jeff. "I literally ran into her. Knocked her to the ground, actually."

"Her?" chuckled Matt.

"Yes, Matt, her," said Jeff.

"What's her name?" asked Shannon.

"I have no idea," said Jeff frowning slightly.

"You're kidding me? Really?" asked Matt. "You run into a hot chick and you didn't get her name?"

"I didn't think about it. She already knew who I was," said Jeff, shrugging his shoulders.

Matt shook his head as they headed towards the art building. The University cleared out one of the studios for them. Jeff was excited that he got to paint while he was there. They walked through the back door and took the stairs to the third floor. Once they found the studio Jeff started looking all over the room for something he could draw this mysterious woman's picture on.

Jessica finished her errands that she had on campus and started walking back to her car. She walked down the stairs next to the history building and started across the parking lot. She checked her schedule one more time before she put that in her purse. As she looked up to look at traffic she saw someone standing in the window of the studio she usually used. He had dark shoulder length hair, which had a blue bandana covering most of it. She could tell that he had some muscles, just not how muscular he was. She also saw that he had a small beard of the same dark color as his hair.

Jessica tripped as she stepped up onto the sidewalk. Her sudden movement caught this man's attention. As she drew closer she could make out his facial features. He was staring at her now. His hands were in his pockets as he watched her walk across the parking lot. Jessica looked away from him and started to walk faster across the parking lot.

Shane walked over to the window while Jeff drew his picture. He looked over the parking lot, but there wasn't much to look at. Out of the corner of his eye he saw someone fall. He turned to see what had happened. He watched as a black haired woman regained her composure. He watched her with interest. She looked familiar to him, he just couldn't figure out how. He watched her walk across the parking lot, looking up at the window; she was watching him.

Shane saw her look away and start to walk faster across the parking lot. He watched her disappear around the corner and out of view. He had half a mind to go find her but thought better of it. Shane turned from the window when Jeff said he had finished his picture.

Jeff walked over to the group and showed them his drawing. Granted it wasn't as good as it could've been, but it was good enough to relay what he wanted. Matt took the drawing from his brother and looked at it, Shannon was looking at it over Matt's shoulder. Shane walked over and looked at it as Jeff took it back from Matt. Shane about choked on the gum he was chewing; it was the girl that was watching him in the parking lot.

"You okay?" asked Matt.

"Yeah, I'm fine," said Shane lying.

"You should really figure out her name," said Matt.

"Yeah, then take her home with you, cause she just about up your ally," joked Shannon.

Jeff smiled as he pulled the picture out of the sketchbook and put it in his pocket. They spent the next two hours in the studio as Jeff painted. Shane periodically looked out the window hoping this mystery girl would walk back by.


	3. Chapter 3

Jessica pulled in the driveway of her house and up into her spot off to the side. She turned off the car and sat there. She sucked in a deep breath and held it for a few minutes before she let it out. She leaned her head on the steering wheel and closed her eyes.

_It can't be him. It can't be,_ thought Jessica.

Jessica jumped when someone knocked on her window. Jessica sighed as she got out of the car to talk to Carol, the lady who owned the dance group.

"You okay?" asked Carol as Jessica closed the door to her car.

"Yeah, just a lot on my mind," said Jessica. "Did you want something?"

"Yes. Those wrestlers, that are going to be at the college tomorrow, are stopping by here tonight since they heard so much about us while they were at the school," said Carol.

"And that has what to do with me?" asked Jessica.

"Well, I was, I was hoping that you could show them around the property and maybe offer them a place to stay for the night," said Carol.

"Why me?" asked Jessica. "Why can't Amber or Teresa or one of the other girls do it?" asked Jessica walking in the house.

"Because it is your house, and you usually get mad when we do something without your approval," said Carol. "And I figured I would be killing two birds with one stone by getting you to do the tour yourself."

"Well, you are right and wrong," said Jessica. "You are right when you said that I get upset when you do something with my house without my approval. But wrong when you said you could get me to do the tour."

"Why?" asked Carol.

"Because I have other things I have to do first," said Jessica.

Jessica disappeared up the stairs and down the hall to her room. Carol stood and stared at the stairs for a few minutes before she disappeared into another room to find Amber.

Jeff was on the phone with Beth, who had taken over giving the guys directions. Matt's GPS was busted and he hadn't had a chance to get another one yet.

"Turn at the light at Salem and 48/13," said Jeff.

"Where is that?" asked Matt.

"Beth said there is a gas station on the right where we are supposed to turn," said Jeff.

Matt nodded as he pulled up to the light.

"Okay, where now?" asked Jeff.

Jeff nodded his head a few times before he said goodbye to Beth and hung up the phone.

"Well?" asked Matt.

"Drive until I tell you to stop," smiled Jeff.

Matt shook his head as he continued down the road. Jeff and Shannon started up a conversation about the mystery girl Jeff had run into while Shane just stared out the window thinking about her.

Jessica was up in her room when the wrestlers arrived. She heard all the girls run down the hallways to get to the stairs. She giggled to herself as she heard them run down the stairs to the foyer to meet them. There was a knock at her door. She sighed as she set her laptop off to the side and got up to answer the door.

"Last chance to help me with the tour," said Amber smiling.

"I'll pass," said Jessica.

"Come on. Please?" said Amber doing the puppy-dog face.

"That doesn't work on me," said Jessica. "And I said no to Carol, why would I say yes to you?"

"Cause you like me?" said Amber.

"I like you, but I have things I have to do," said Jessica.

"Fine," said Amber pouting. "See you later?"

"Yeah," said Jessica closing her door.

Jessica sighed as she leaned against the door. She pulled herself off the door and walked back to the bed and picked up her laptop. She closed out the file of pictures she had opened and opened up her art folder.

"This is Amber. She's going to show ya'll the property and answer any questions she can," said Carol as Amber shook their hands.

Carol walked away and went to talk to Jessica. Amber turned back to the four men in front of her.

"Um, like she said, I'm Amber," she said.

"I'm Shannon," he said extending his hand. "This is Matt, Jeff, and the one not paying any attention at all is Shane."

Amber shook all their hands, even Shane's after they got his attention. Amber showed them around the first floor, which was mostly practice areas and recreational areas. She took them to the second floor, which had the kitchen and dinning room on that floor along with most of the bedrooms. They finished off the tour of the house on the third floor when she took them out on the balcony that led to a flat part of the roof.

"This is nice," said Jeff.

"Yeah. It was originally the first floor at 2100 sq ft," said Amber.

"Really?" asked Jeff.

"Yeah. When Jess first got the house it was 2100 then she added onto the first level. Then for some reason she wanted three," said Amber.

"What is that building?" asked Jeff pointing to a red building off to the side of the house.

"The gym," said Amber. "We have a personal studio to dance in and a gym. She has it all."

"That's cool," said Jeff.

"How much land does this all sit on?" asked Matt as he looked into the woods.

"32 acres," said Amber shrugging her shoulders.

"That's a lot of land for a house and a gym," said Matt.

"That's nothing compared to the 600 acres I lived on as a child," said Amber.

"Where?" asked Jeff.

"Montana," smiled Amber.

"Cool," said Jeff.

"Eh," said Amber.

"So it is just the house and the gym?" asked Shannon.

"Nope. There is a Motocross/ATV track, horses, and a pond/lake," said Amber.

"Really? That's cool," said Jeff. "Do you think we could possibly go check out the track?"

"I would have to ask Jess. They are all hers," said Amber.

"That's fine. We can do it another time," said Jeff.

"So where is this Jess?" asked Shannon.

"Her room," said Amber. "She has stuff she is working on, otherwise she would've given the tour herself."

"Cool," said Shannon.

"Any questions?" asked Amber.

"Nope," said Jeff.

"Yeah. Is there some place we can chill for a while?" asked Matt.

"Yeah. We are still fixing up the rooms, but you can chill in the living room. We hardly ever use it," said Amber closing the doors to the balcony.

"Fixing up the rooms?" asked Matt.

"Yeah. We have extra rooms. So instead of having to find a hotel to stay in, you can crash here," said Amber.

"Sweet," said Jeff as he walked down the stairs to the living room.

Matt shook his head and thanked Amber as he followed Shannon and Shane down the stairs.

Jessica heard all four of them as they came back down the stairs. She listened to their conversation, which consisted of what to watch on the TV. There was a knock at her door and she froze. She waited, listening for any sign of who it was.

"Jess, you gonna let me in?" asked Amber as she knocked again.

Jessica closed her laptop and got up off her bed and opened her door. Amber walked in with a big smile on her face. She sat down in the computer chair that was next to Jessica's bed. Jessica closed the door back and walked back over to her bed. She sat down and stared at Amber, who looked like she was about to burst with excitement.

"Okay, I'll bite. What is it?" asked Jessica.

"Teresa is going to flip her lid when she get back!" said Amber.

Jessica was about to say something when they heard a scream come from the first floor. Both women bolted through the door and down to the front door. Amber got to the bottom of the steps first, Jessica right behind her. Teresa was standing in the doorway of the living room, with her mouth hanging agape, staring at the four men in the living room.

Jessica turned the corner to see what was going on. She wasn't thinking that the men would be staring out the door at Teresa. She skidded to a halt just as she reached the door, hoping they hadn't seen her.

"What the hell is your problem?" shouted Jessica from behind the wall.

"It's…they…living room…and…" said Teresa.

"Full sentences work too," said Amber.

Amber waved her hand in front of Teresa's face a few times trying to get her to move, but nothing was working.

"You want to take a crack at it," said Amber turning to face Jessica.

"Who are you talking to?" asked Matt.

"Jess," said Amber grabbing Jessica by the arm.

Amber pulled Jessica into view of everyone in the living room. Jeff's face lit up as soon as he saw her, and Shane's brows furrowed together like he was thinking really hard. Jessica smiled and waved slightly and turned to leave.

"Oh, no ya don't," said Carol grabbing Jessica's arm.


	4. Chapter 4

Carol pushed Jessica into the room. Jessica caught her balance before she fell into Jeff, for the second time that day.

"This is Jessica. She is the one who owns the house and the land," said Carol as she pulled Teresa away.

Jessica smiled awkwardly at the four men in front of her. She slowly started to inch her way out of the room, but stopped when she heard the doors behind her close.

"I think they want to keep you in here," joked Shannon.

"Evidently," said Jessica.

"Well, since we know who you are," started Matt.

"No need for introductions. I know who all ya'll are," said Jessica as she backed up to the door.

"Do you really not want to be in here?" asked Matt.

"It's not that. It's that I have work I have to do, and I cant do it if I am locked in here," said Jessica as she jiggled the handle after it wouldn't turn.

"What?" asked Shannon.

"Art," said Jessica jiggling the handle again.

"I just don't think it is going to work," chuckled Shannon.

"Worth a shot," said Jessica turning back to face them.

"So who are we?" asked Jeff.

"Well, I know you already since I ran into you once today," smiled Jessica. "That's your brother Matt, Shannon Moore, and Shane Helms."

"You watch wrestling?" asked Shannon.

"Nope," said Jessica.

"That's a joke, right?" asked Matt.

"No. I really don't watch wrestling," said Jessica as she sat down in the armchair.

"Then how…" started Jeff.

"I used to watch," said Jessica.

"Really?" asked Matt.

"Yeah," she said. "Kinda," she said under her breath.

"Why stop?" asked Shannon.

"Don't know. Lost the thrill of it," said Jessica shrugging her shoulders.

"That sucks," said Jeff.

"Teresa is the one who is real big into it," said Jessica. "She is the one who screamed bloody murder when she saw ya'll."

"Ah," they said.

"So, aside from the Hardy tattoo on your neck and the ones on your wrist, what other tattoos do you have?" asked Jeff.

"Hmm, really getting into this aren't ya?" chuckled Jessica.

"Of course," smiled Jeff.

Jessica brought her knees up to her chin as she thought about the different tattoos she had.

"Well, there is the one on my calf," she said raising her pants leg.

"Angel?" asked Shannon.

"Of Death," smiled Jessica.

"Cool. I've never seen flash like that before," said Shannon.

"And you never will," said Jessica. "I drew it."

"Awesome," said Jeff.

"Thank you," said Jessica.

"What else?" asked Shannon.

"Well, I have angel wings on my back that I drew as well," said Jessica.

"You have talent," said Shannon. "Why do you dance?"

"I just do. It is something I am good at," said Jessica.

"You should so come draw for my shop," smiled Shannon.

"Yeah, cause Julie is really gonna like that," said Jeff.

"You are one to talk. You are trying to fix shit with Beth," said Shannon.

"So really the only one benefiting from this is Matt?" chuckled Jessica.

"What about me?" asked Shane.

"Oh, shit. I forgot you were there. You need to talk more, and stop thinking," said Jessica avoiding eye contact with him.

"Yeah. Your leg okay after you fell?" asked Shane.

"What?" asked Jessica still not looking at him.

"Today, in the parking lot. I saw you fall," said Shane.

"Oh. You saw that?" asked Jessica trying to play it off.

"Yeah. From the studio you were staring at," said Shane.

"I…I don't know what you are talking about," said Jessica.

"You're what, 120lbs?" asked Shane.

"Like I'm going to tell you," said Jessica.

"You don't have to," said Shane as he stood up.

Shane walked over to where Jessica was sitting and picked her up. Jessica screamed and wrapped her arms around Shane's neck and closed her eyes. Shane chuckled as he sat her back down in the chair.

"What did you do that for?" asked Jessica.

"Trying to figure something out," said Shane.

"What could you possibly need to figure out by picking me up?" asked Jessica.

"You always freak out when you get picked up?" asked Shane.

"Yeah. I've never liked it. I feel like they are going to drop me," said Jessica.

"Really?" asked Shannon.

"Yeah. I got no control over my surrounding when someone picks me up," said Jessica.

Shane stood up and walked back over to Jessica. Instead of picking her up bridal style again, he threw her over his shoulder, causing her to start cussing. Shane chuckled to himself as he sat her back down. Jessica glared at him as she took her seat again.

"I guess you hate that too," said Shane.

"Yes," said Jessica.

"I bet it sucked when Nash did it to you back in 2000. He spun you around then too," said Shane.

"Yeah. It was-" started Jessica.

Shane smiled as Jessica stopped mid-sentence. Jessica looked up at Shane as she realized he had caught her in a word trap. He knew who she was, and she knew he knew that she knew. Shannon looked between his friend and Jessica.

"What's" started Shannon

"Jessica, here used to have blond hair," said Shane. "She also used to wrestle."

"What? I think I would know who she was if she wrestled," said Shannon. "And I am at a loss."

"Stand up," said Shane.

Jessica shook her head and brought her legs up to her chest again. Shane smiled as he stood up and walked over to Jessica.

"Shane," said Jessica.

'What?" he asked.

"Don't," said Jessica.

"Don't what?" asked Shane.

"I'm not kidding," said Jessica.

"Oh well," said Shane.

Shane grabbed Jessica's hand and pulled her up, spinning her so her back was to his chest. He grabbed both her hands in one of his before he looked back at Shannon.

"You remember me betting with one of the old WCW girls after I moved to WWF?" asked Shane.

"Yeah. She lost. Had to do whatever you said. What does that have to do with-ooooh," said Shannon as realization crossed his face.

Shane ran his hand from Jessica's stomach down to the top of her pants and lowered the right side of her pants to reveal a Hurricane tattoo. Matt stared in awe, while Jeff looked slightly hurt. She had a fan tattoo of his, but was basically claimed by Shane with the hip tattoo.

"I was out $25 for it, but it was well worth it," chuckled Shane.

Jessica wiggled free of his grasp and sat back down in the armchair. Shane walked up behind her and put his arms around her shoulders.

"Don't be mad Jess-i-ca," smiled Shane.

"Fuck off," said Jessica shrugging Shane's arms off her shoulders.

"Ouch," chuckled Shannon.


	5. Chapter 5

"So why did you leave wrestling?" asked Shannon.

"Lost the thrill of it. It wasn't something I wanted to do anymore," said Jessica.

"Really? You had the chance to go to the biggest wrestling company in the US and you didn't want to?" asked Matt.

"Yeah," said Jessica.

"I don't get you," said Matt.

"Not many people do. Shane is one of the very few who do. I'm sure if I had gone to the WWE, Jeff would've understood me. Right Jeff?" chuckled Jessica. "Jeff? Yoo-hoo!"

Jeff was brought back to reality with Jessica waving her hand in front of his face. Jeff shook his head and got up and knocked on the door. The door opened slightly then opened some more. Jeff walked through the door and it closed again. Jessica stared at the door for a few minutes before she turned back to the group.

"Wonder what his problem is," said Shannon.

"I think I have an idea," said Jessica getting up.

Jessica walked over to the door and knocked. As soon as the door was opened enough, she slipped through and walked outside. She looked around the yard and saw Jeff looking at the motocross bikes. She walked over to him and stood there as he admired the bikes.

"You going to tell me what's wrong or do I have to guess?" asked Jessica.

"There is nothing wrong," said Jeff.

"You fixing things with your girlfriend?" asked Jessica.

"Trying to. We've been on the outs lately," said Jeff shrugging his shoulders.

"Then forget my number," said Jessica. You've known her longer. You know her. Ask Shane, I'm nothing you want to get into a relationship with."

"You think I left cause I'm conflicted between who I should be with?" asked Jeff. "I would pick Beth, hands down, ever time."

"Good. That is what you should do. But I know why you left, and that has something to do with it," said Jessica. "So does this."

Jessica pointed to her hip where the tattoo was. "I saw the face you made. Yeah, I'm a fan, which is why I got it done. The Hurricane tattoo was because I lost a bet. I didn't get to pick it and I didn't get to pick where I got it. That was all in the stipulations with Shane."

"You don't get it," said Jeff.

"Yeah I do. It's fan tattoo versus ownership tattoo. You think just because I still have the tattoo there that Shane owns me and that I will choose him every time. That's bullshit," said Jessica. "I have my own mind and I can think for myself. Shane gets me, no doubt about that. He was who I talked to in WCW, so when it comes to picking someone who is a wrestler, he has a slight advantage. So don't get mad about that. It makes you look stupid."

Jessica turned around and walked back into the house. She ignored Carol and walked back up the stairs to her room. She opened the door to find Shannon and Shane in her room. Jessica sighed as she closed the door. She walked over to her bed and moved all of her art supplies and projects off the bed and onto her desk. Shane plopped down on her bed and smiled at her.

"Feet off," said Jessica.

Shane kicked off his shoes and smiled at her again. Jessica rolled her eyes as she pushed Shane's feet off her bed.

"Hey, I took my shoes off," said Shane.

"I said _feet_ off. Not shoes off," said Jessica. "What are ya'll doing up here anyway?"

"Being nosey," said Shannon as he looked through one of her sketchbooks.

Shannon closed one book and started to pick up another one when Jessica shouted and snatched it from him. Jessica walked out of the room and came back a few minutes later sans sketchbook. Shannon eyed her curiously, but shrugged his shoulders and went back to looking at her other books. Shane on the other hand wasn't going to let it slide that easy.

"What was that about?" asked Shane sitting up on Jessica's bed.

"Nothing," said Jessica.

"Bullshit," said Shane. "It was something."

"It was personal, is what it was," said Jessica.

"How personal?" asked Shane.

"To personal for your prying eyes," said Jessica. "Now, if you don't mind, get out."

"But I do mind. I want to catch up with you. I haven't seen you in eight years," said Shane.

"And I have important things to do," said Jessica.

"Like what?" asked Shane.

"Passing my art class," said Jessica.

Jessica sighed when Shane made no inclination to leave her room. She grabbed her things off her desk and put them in her bag. Once everything was put away she grabbed her keys and walked out of her room and down the stairs. Shane watched her leave and grabbed his shoes putting them on as fast as he could. He ran down the stairs after Jessica and out the front door. He got to her car in just enough time to get in and close the door before she pulled out of the driveway.

"Really?" said Jessica when she stopped her car.

"Really," said Shane.

"Out," said Jessica.

"No, now drive wherever it is you were going," smiled Shane.

"I'm going to hurt you one of these days," said Jessica as she started to drive down the road.

After about twenty minutes Jessica pulled into the parking lot behind the art building on the college campus. She got out of her car, grabbed her things and started towards the building. She climbed the stairs and walked down the hall until she reached _her_ studio. She unlocked the door and walked in. She set her bag down and she started to move the drawing table where she wanted it.

"What are you doing?" asked Shane when he got to the room.

"Getting things settled," said Jessica as she unpacked her sketchbooks.

"Getting things settled?" asked Shane.

"Yeah. I'm about to spend who knows how long here working on my art project," said Jessica.

"Really?" asked Shane. "It means that much to you?"

"If you have to ask, then you don't know me at all," said Jessica as she opened her sketchbook.

Shane found another chair and sat in the corner and watched her draw. He had done it a million times before and it never got old. She was so into her work, she was basically a female Jeff. Shane chuckled as he thought of that. Jessica looked up at him for a second before she went back to her drawing.

In the two hours that they had been at the school she had finished three pictures. She was fixing to start on a fourth one when a woman walked into the studio.

"I was hoping it was you up here," she said.

"Who else would be here this late at night," chuckled Jessica. "Can I help you with something?"

"I was hoping so. I would like submit one of your drawings in the art show next week and I was hoping you could create an original piece for me," said the woman.

"Any medium?" asked Jessica.

"Any medium," said the woman.

"Then I will have it done by Monday," said Jessica.

Jessica was fixing to start on whatever she was thinking about when the woman walked over to her.

"I know you work best when you have free reign of what you do, but might I suggest using your friend in this piece. I am sure it will sell better," smiled the woman.

"For you Professor Carter, I will," said Jessica.

Professor Carter walked out of the studio and Jessica went back to what she was doing.

"What was that about?" asked Shane.

"She is one of my art professors. There is annual art show here and she obviously wanted to submit something from me," said Jessica.

"I meant the whispered conversation that I wasn't meant to hear," said Shane.

"If you weren't meant to hear it, why would I tell you?" asked Jessica smiling up at him.

"Cause you love me?" said Shane.

"Hmm…" said Jessica.

"So you're not going to tell me?" asked Shane.

"Nope," said Jessica.

Jessica's cell phone started to vibrate across the table. She looked down and laughed, it was her professor texting her. Jessica read the text message and her face fell. She tried to recover before Shane saw, but wasn't quite lucky enough.

"She change her mind?" asked Shane.

"No," said Jessica. "Not really."

"Not really or no? Which is it?" asked Shane.

"No," said Jessica as she sent a reply.

"Then what is it?" asked Shane.

"She gave me an idea for my piece and now she wants something particular in it," said Jessica.

"And what is that?" asked Shane.

"Aside from you? I'm not telling," said Jessica as she put her phone in her bag.

"What?" asked Shane.

"That was her suggestion. To have you in my piece that would be submitted," said Jessica.

"But?" asked Shane.

"But what?" asked Jessica.

"What did you text her back?" asked Shane.

"That I wouldn't do the piece with you because I didn't want to draw it how she wanted it to look," said Jessica. "She told me that I work better when I have the reigns on what I am doing, which is true, and that my best work comes from that. Then she turns around and tells me what I should draw for the show."

"You always had a mind of your own," said Shane.

"I gotta pee. I will be back in a minute," said Jessica getting up.

As Jessica walked out of the room Shane walked over to the drawing table. She looked at the few things she had drawn already. It was basic artwork, nothing spectacular. He looked down at her bag on the floor. He crouched down next to it and opened it up. He smiled as he pulled a sketchbook out of the bag. It was the one Jessica had hid.

Shane could here Jessica walking back to the room. Shane hid the book under his shirt in the back when she walked back in. She eyed him curiously before she started to collect her things.

"Leaving so soon?" asked Shane smiling.

"Yeah. To get you home. You need to some sleep," smiled Jessica. "A growing boy needs his rest."

"Girl, I am older than you," said Shane.

"So you admit that you are old?" asked Jessica as she walked out of the studio.

"No," said Shane.

Jessica shook her head as she locked up the studio and walked down the stairs. They climbed in the car and drove back to the house. Shane disappeared up the stairs to his room and closed the door, locking it.


	6. Chapter 6

Shane tossed the book on his bed as he changed for bed. Once he was completely changed he sat down on the bed and looked at the cover of the book. It was a worn red cover that had small doodles on it. A few of them were wrestling related, WCW related. This was her old sketchbook from her wrestling days.

Shane opened the cover of the book. On the inside cover was something written in Irish. She had always been one to have cryptic messages. On the first page was a small note that was dated May of 2000: _D'fhéadfadh an duine ar bith a iarraidh ar an saol is fearr, d'fhéadfadh an duine ar bith a cara is fearr a iarraidh; Tá mo ghrá rúnda: na Invest._

_**Shane got me a sketchbook so I would stop drawing on his things. Probably wont stop me, but I am so going to use this book. ~Jessi**_

Shane smiled after he read the inscription. This was the one he had bought her, and no it didn't stop her from drawing on his things. Shane started to flip through the book. Most of it was full of her doodles that she did when she was board backstage. He was about a quarter of the way through it when the drawing stopped being doodles and was actual sketches. Most of them were half drawings of people sitting around backstage. Most of them were of Shane and Shannon, only a few having Evan in them.

Shane kept flipping through the book. Slowly the drawings started becoming better and better, with more detail, and becoming more personal. Shane looked over drawings of Shannon from back in the day when Jessica had traveled with them. He would be sitting at a table, or in the ring before a show, or in the locker room. There would be some of Shannon and Shane in the locker room or in the hotel.

Shane turned the page and his eyes about popped out of his head. It was a page full of half drawings of him. He was about halfway through the books now and slowly pictures of Shannon started to phase out. Shane turned the page to see a drawing of him asleep on a couch. The detail was magnificent, to the point that there were rolls and creases in the couch upholstery. It was of him from the waist up, had a blanket around his waist; he had a tendency to sleep naked if it got to hot. Jessica evidently knew this.

On the next page was another drawing of Shane. He was in a bed this time. Usually when he slept naked he had the ability to keep the blankets covering him. This drawing however had the covers pulled back, showing all of him. Shane thought back to when Jessica was really into her drawing. He remembered that he would have cold chills in the night and have to adjust the blankets, could it be that she was drawing him naked?

Shane closed the book and put it under the bed. He turned out the light and tried to go to sleep, but it evaded him. He laid in bed thinking about Jessica and if she had watched him sleep naked more than the one time to get her drawing. After a while sleep finally took over and Shane fell into a deep sleep.

Jessica sat in her bed thinking about what her professor had said. It's not like she hadn't seen Shane naked before, she had a ton of drawings of him in his sleep like that. It was one thing to draw him while he was asleep but a completely other thing to do it while he was awake and conscious of the whole thing. Jessica shook her head as she turned out her light. She told her professor she would sleep on it and let her know by tomorrow night. If she did decide to do it, she would have to ask Shane to pose, which means she would have to fess up about all her other drawings.

Jessica woke up the next morning when she rolled over in her bed and her face connected with a piece of paper. She sat up and turned her light on. It was 8:30 in the morning. She looked at the paper. It was a note for her from Shane. She sat up in bed and read the note.

_**Jessica, meet me down at the lake on your property. I want to talk to you about something. ~Shane**_

Jessica jumped out of bed and scrambled to find clothes to wear. She settled on what she could find: a pair of blue jean shorts, a red tank top and a pair of flip-flops. She grabbed the keys to one of her quads before she walked out of the house. She walked over to the garage and started one up before she started out on the path to the lake.

Shane could hear a quad approaching, which meant that Jessica had gotten his letter. He was sitting on the edge of the lake with his feet in the water. Jessica parked the quad next to the one Shane had used. She turned it off and walked over to Shane. She sat down next to him and took her flip-flops off, sticking her feet in the water as well.

"What did you want to talk about?" asked Jessica.

"This," said Shane.

Shane handed Jessica the sketchbook that he had taken out of her bag the night before. Jessica looked at the book then back at him before she snatched the book away from him.

"What the hell is your problem! I said that it was personal and you take it anyway?" shouted Jessica.

"I didn't expect what I saw," said Shane.

"You looked through it?" said Jessica.

"Yeah," said Shane. "Why didn't-"

"How could you? I would think that you had enough respect for me that you wouldn't, even though you took it anyway!" shouted Jessica getting up.

"Respect for you? You are the one who drew ME naked and didn't tell me!" shouted Shane standing up as well.

"You were never supposed to find out. You were never supposed to see this sketchbook again!" shouted Jessica.

"You should've told me!" shouted Shane.

Jessica shook her head and started to walk back over to the quads. Shane grabbed Jessica's arm and turned her to face him again.

"Let go of me," said Jessica pulling back from him.

"You should've told me, I wouldn't have carec. Hell I would have fucking posed for you if you had asked me!" shouted Shane. "I bought you that sketchbook, you said so on the front page. Why wouldn't I have helped out your artistic ability?"

"Let me go, Shane," said Jessica in a calm voice.

Shane, stunned at her, let go of her arm. Jessica walked over to her quad and started it up. She put the book under her and she took off back down the path. Shane stood there and watched her leave. He shook his head as he reviewed the conversation they had just had. When he thought about it this morning it wasn't supposed to end like this. She was supposed to apologize for not telling him and he would apologize for taking the book and everything would be fine, not worse.

Jessica parked her quad and practically ran back to the house. Once in the front door she bolted up the stairs past Matt, Jeff and Shannon. Shannon motioned for them to go ahead outside. He turned and jogged up the stairs and down to Jessica's room. He knocked on the door but didn't get an answer.

"She is on the small balcony on the roof," said Amber as she walked by.

Shannon nodded his acknowledgment and headed up the stairs. He opened the doors to the balcony and saw Jessica sitting on the roof instead of the porch. He walked out and closed the doors and walked up to the edge of the balcony and stood there.

Jessica saw Shannon walk out onto the balcony out of the corner of her eye. She watched him stand there and scan the area in front of him. After a few minutes he turned and looked at her. He didn't say anything; he just crossed his arms and stared at her. Jessica turned her attention back to the trees in front of her.

"You going to tell me what's up?" asked Shannon.

Jessica shook her head in the negative.

"So looks like I get to guess," said Shannon.

Jessica shrugged her shoulders, but never took her eyes off the trees in front of her.

"I know it has something to do with Shane. You two were the only ones missing from the house. Did you kiss him?"

Negative.

"Did you do the dirty in he woods?" asked Shannon.

Negative.

"Did you profess your undying love for him and he reject you?" asked Shannon.

Negative.

"Accept it?" asked Shannon.

Negative.

"Profess your undying hatred for the man?" asked Shannon.

Jessica cocked her head to the side as if she were thinking. Negative.

"Does it have something to do with that there sketchbook?" asked Shannon.

Jessica shook her head in the positive.

"Did he take it from you?" asked Shannon.

Positive.

"Did he look at it?" asked Shannon.

Positive.

"Did you freak out?" asked Shannon.

Positive.

"Okay. Now you have to talk to me and tell me what is going on," said Shannon.

Jessica looked over at him before she shook her head no.

"That's it," said Shannon.

Shannon reached over and pulled her back on the balcony, along with the sketchbook. Jessica had a death grip on it like it was her lifeline to the world.

"What is up with you and this sketchbook?" asked Shannon.

Jessica didn't answer him. Shannon grabbed hold of the book and started pulling on it. Finally Jessica lost her grip and Shannon pulled the book free. He flipped it open and looked at the two inscriptions: the Irish one and the English one. Shannon looked up at Jessica with a knowing look in his eyes.

"This is the one that had all the nude drawings in it, isn't?" asked Shannon.

"Yeah," said Jessica. "He saw them. Most of them, if not all of them."

"What did he say?" asked Shannon.

"He told me I should've told him about it. And the he wouldn't have cared," said Jessica.

"So why didn't you?" asked Shannon. "You told me for Christ's sake."

"I was also drunk and had a sever lack of sleep," said Jessica. "I didn't know what I was saying, let alone to who."

"True, but still," said Shannon.

"There was just something about the innocence of the drawing with him asleep that I couldn't, no, wouldn't, be capable of capturing if he was awake," said Jessica. "Besides, it is easier to draw someone naked while they are asleep than awake."

Shannon shook his head.

"Don't give me that look," said Jessica.

"I don't understand you sometimes," said Shannon.

"Well the same can be said about you," said Jessica.


	7. Chapter 7

Jessica took the book back from Shannon and walked back into the house. She walked back down the stairs to her room and locked the door. Granted it was only nine in the morning, she wanted to go back to bed and sleep all this off. She stashed the book at the bottom of her filing cabinet and locked it back.

She stood up and turned around and looked at the room. She finally decided that she was going to try to sleep the day away. She turned off her light and climbed in her bed. She laid there looking at her wall until sleep took over her body and she fell into a deep sleep.

Shane finally climbed back on his quad and took off for the house. It was going on ten o'clock and they needed to head to the college. He parked the quad and started to walk back to the house. Jeff and Matt were sitting outside next to the car; Shannon was still missing.

"Where is Shannon?" asked Shane.

"Inside talking to Jessica," said Matt.

Shane nodded his head and walked in the house. He dropped the keys back where he found them and started to climb the stairs. As he reached the second floor he saw Shannon sitting outside Jessica's room.

"What are you doing?" asked Shane.

"Trying to get her to open the door," said Shannon.

"What?" asked Shane.

"She has been in there for almost an hour now, and hasn't come out," said Shannon.

Shannon stood up again and started knocking on the door again. Shane leaned against the wall and watched.

Jessica was deliberately ignoring Shannon now that she heard Shane outside. She really didn't want to see him, let alone talk to him, right now. The knocking stopped and she heard their footsteps fade away. She sat up on her bed and pulled her knees to her chest and stared at the box of pictures that was upturned on her bed.

She leaned over and picked one up and looked at it more closely. It was a picture of her, Shannon and Shane after they had won the Tag Team Titles. Shannon was looking at the camera and had his title, Shane had picked Jessica up; who had his title in her hands; and she was kissing his cheek.

She laid the picture back on the bed and let out a long sigh. She moved from her bed and started to put the pictures back in the box and bury the box in the top of her closet again. As she was walking back to her closet there was a knock at her door. She waited, and listened. There was another knock accompanied with an exasperated sigh; it was Amber.

Jessica smiled and put the box in her closet and walked over to the door. The door was opened for a second when it was pushed from her hands and Shane was walking into her room. Shane turned around and nodded at Amber who smiled and grabbed the door and closed it. Shane turned back to Jessica, who turned away from him.

"We can do this all day," said Shane.

"No, you have to go to the signing," said Jessica hoping he would leave.

No such luck. Shane grabbed her arm and turned her around to face him. He grabbed her other arm to keep her facing him.

"We _need_ to talk," said Shane.

"We don't _need_ to do anything," said Jessica pulling free.

"Why?" asked Shane.

"I don't want to talk to you," said Jessica.

"Not what I meant and you know it. Why didn't you tell me?" asked Shane.

"I don't know what you are talking about," said Jessica sitting down at her desk.

Shane walked over and spun the chair around and kept his hands on the armrests.

"Damn it, Jessica. Just answer the question?" said Shane.

"Because I didn't want you to know. You were never supposed to find out!" replied Jessica. "I liked you Shane! I couldn't help it that you slept naked! You had a beautiful body, and I figured if I couldn't have it physically, then I would draw it,"

Jessica hung her head as Shane stared at her. She could tell what he was feeling, which was a first for her.

Shane watched as Jessica dipped her head back down. He couldn't believe what she had just said. He was awe struck. It had been staring him in the face all those years and he let it walk right past him. Yeah, he had liked her, but he never in a million years she would feel the same, so he had played the friend card.

Shane was shaken from his thoughts when Jessica started talking.

"I think you should leave," said Jessica, deliberately not looking at him.

"No," said Shane.

"Excuse me?" said Jessica looking up at him.

"No, because I'm not done," said Shane.

"What else do you want?" asked Jessica. "I admitted to not telling you about them and why what else do you want from me?"

"This," said Shane.

Shane leaned down and captured Jessica's lips in a kiss. She was caught by surprise, no doubt, but she didn't push him away. He wrapped one arm around her and pulled her up out of the chair and wrapped his other arm around her waist. Jessica wrapped her arms around his neck as they kissed.

Shane pulled away first and rested his forehead on hers. He stared into her beautiful blue eyes and smiled.

"I think it is safe to say that we were both being stupid back then," said Shane. "You never told me you liked me and I was too stupid not to see what was right in front of my face."

"Think about that sentence Shane," said Jessica stepping away. "Liked was the word of choice. For both of us."

"What?" asked Shane.

"Please leave," said Jessica turning away from Shane.

Shane looked like he had been slapped. He nodded and walked out of her room, closing the door behind him. Jessica walked over to the door and leaned on it, sinking to the floor. Shane leaned his head on the door and listened.

"Yo, Shane, we need to go," said Matt walking up the stairs.

"Yeah, coming," said Shane pushing off the door.

"You okay?" asked Matt.

"Yeah, I'm fine," said Shane walking down the stairs.

Matt turned and looked at the door, it was Jessica's. He shook his head and followed Shane down the stairs.

Amber said her goodbyes to the guys and closed the door. She walked up the stairs to jessica's room. She knocked on the door, but Jessica didn't answer. She twisted the knob and the door opened. Amber walked in to see Jessica sitting at her desk looking at her sketchbook.

"You okay?" asked Amber.

"Yeah," said Jessica.

Jessica stood up and walked over to her closet and pulled out and old Polaroid camera and walked back over to her desk. She opened the sketchbook and took a picture of the inscription on the inside.

The picture printed and developed. Jessica grabbed a pen and turned the picture over and started writing on it. She flipped it back over and wrote something else before she grabbed and envelope and wrote an address on it. She placed the picture in the envelope and walked out of the room.


	8. Chapter 8

Shane had been home maybe and hour when he got a call from the post office telling him he needed to clean out his PO Box. Shane jumped in his car and drove to the Post Office. He unlocked the box and pulled everything out and placed it in a box. He loaded it up in his car and pulled out of the parking lot.

He was sitting at a stoplight when the top envelope fell off the pile. He leaned over at and looked at it. It was addressed to him, but didn't have a return address. He turned it over and opened it. He was expecting a letter but pulled out a picture. He looked at it and immediately knew whom it was from.

He read what was at the bottom of the Polaroid: _**Sorry it took me so long to tell you what you watched me write.**_

Shane flipped the picture to see she had translated the Irish inscription: _Could anyone ask for a better life, could anyone ask her best friend = My secret love: the hurricane._

Shane pulled off the road and looked at the picture again. She had said it a million times to him; he just never asked what it meant. His phone started to beep telling him he had a new text; it was from Shelly.

_**Call Me – Shelly**_

__Shane dialed her number and waited to her to answer.

"What's up?" asked Shane.

"You have an email waiting at home for you from a Jessi. She sent me a message on Myspace to tell you. You need to be careful," said Shelly.

"I know who she is," said Shane hanging up the phone.

Shane drove home as fast as he could to his house. When he pulled in the driveway he jumped out of the car and ran to his office. He logged onto his email and the message popped up:

_ Mo Hairicín, mo ghrá. ba chóir dom a dúirt tú conas a mhothaigh mé ar ais ansin, mar sin beidh mé a dhéanamh suas le am caillte. Is breá liom tú, Shane agus grá agam go mbeidh tú i gcónaí. Ach tá muid níos fearr as gan a chéile._

_ Shane copied the message and put it in Google Translate to find out what it meant. His face fell as he read the translation. He tried it three different times with other translators, but the answer was the same. Shane logged off his computer and stared at it. That was it, no more chances._

**My Hurricane, my love.****I should have told you how I felt back then, so I'll make up for lost time.****I love you, Shane and I will love you always.****But we're better off without each other.**


End file.
